In a major relief to manufacturers, packers, and importers following recent goods and services tax (GST) rate revisions, the central government has updated its September 9 circular by waiving mandatory newspaper advertisements (ads) for price changes and extending the timeline for using old packaging materials.
The deadline for exhausting old packaging has been pushed to March 31, 2026, or until supplies run out, up from the previous December 31 cutoff, according to the revised circular released by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
DBS Bank India has been authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the first and only wholly-owned subsidiary in India to collect Goods and Services Tax (GST) payments as an Agency Bank. This approval enables the bank to offer seamless GST payment services to businesses using its digital banking platform for enterprises, DBS IDEAL.
With this new capability, DBS Bank India customers can instantly make GST payments through the DBS IDEAL platform, which provides real-time transaction status updates, instant payment acknowledgements, and downloadable payment advice for easy recordkeeping. Dedicated client support is also available to help businesses resolve queries related to GST compliance swiftly.
Apart from digital payments via IDEAL, customers can also pay GST through NEFT/RTGS or over the counter at bank branches, offering flexibility and convenience.
GST has been a major reform since its launch in 2017, formalising India’s economy with registered taxpayers rising from 60 lakh to around 1.51 crore in 2025.
However, businesses still face challenges such as fragmented approval workflows, manual uploads, and time-consuming reconciliations, leading to last-minute processing risks. DBS Bank India’s platform addresses these pain points by offering a secure, efficient, and transparent payment experience that reduces operational complexities for enterprises.
Godrej Finance Limited (GFL) has entered a co-lending partnership with Muthoot FinCorp to enhance credit access for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. This partnership leverages Muthoot FinCorp’s extensive market presence and deep reach in these regions to provide much-needed financial support to growing businesses.
The co-lending agreement focuses on offering Loan Against Property (LAP) ranging from INR 10 lakh to INR 75 lakh, with an average ticket size of INR 15 lakh. This product is designed to serve MSMEs across pan-India markets where demand for timely and accessible credit is strong.
Plans include expanding the partnership to cover other products such as gold loans and housing loans.
The collaboration features a seamless digital integration that aims to speed up loan approvals, enhance transparency, and ensure full compliance with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) co-lending framework.
Under this agreement, Godrej Finance assumes 80 percent of the credit risk, while Muthoot FinCorp manages the remaining 20 percent. Muthoot FinCorp will take responsibility for underwriting, loan collections, and managing the overall customer experience. Godrej Finance will ensure regulatory compliance through a jointly defined policy framework.
SBI General Insurance has unveiled a first-of-its-kind biometric health scanning feature on its mobile app, reinforcing its commitment to digital empowerment, wellness, and customer-centric innovation. The launch marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey to expand services beyond traditional insurance by integrating technology-driven health tracking tools.
Developed in collaboration with CarePlix, the new feature uses advanced remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) technology to deliver health insights through simple face and finger scans. Without the need for physical sensors or needles, users can instantly access vital health parameters such as heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, BMI, body fat, body water,
stress levels, and weight. This seamless, contactless, and technology-enabled approach empowers individuals to proactively monitor their well-being in real time.
The feature is available to both existing and new customers on the SBI General Insurance app and further enhances value by offering up to 5% discounts on standard lab tests through partnered providers.
Mohd. Arif Khan- Deputy CEO of SBI General Insurance.
His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”), and Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Co-Chaired the latest meeting of the India-UAE High Level Joint Task Force on Investments (“Joint Task Force”) in Abu Dhabi.
The Joint Task Force was established in 2013 as a key forum for strengthening economic ties between India and the UAE. Since its formation, it has provided an effective mechanism to discuss and promote opportunities and prospects for further investments in India and the UAE, while acting as a forum to resolve issues and challenges faced by investors of the two countries,
seeking to bring these matters to a mutually beneficial conclusion.
This latest meeting considered a range of trade and investment topics, including ongoing initiatives to enhance bilateral investment flows and new areas of joint cooperation.
Department of Posts is pleased to inform its employees that the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has notified the Central Civil Services (Implementation of the Unified Pension Scheme under the National Pension System) Rules, 2025, through publication in the Official Gazette dated 02.09.2025.
These rules govern the service matters and benefits under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for Central Government employees, including employees of the Department of Posts who have opted for UPS under the National Pension System (NPS).
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has announced outreach programmes across the country to further enhance its outreach and stakeholder engagement initiatives with audit professionals. The initiative is aimed at enhancing audit quality and promoting sustainable audit practices for all sizes of audit firms.
The series of outreach programmes is titled “Creating a Better Financial Reporting World” and will be held at various locations across the country. The inaugural programme is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on 26 September 2025. Similar outreach programmes are being planned at Indore on 06.10.2025 and at other cities during the rest of the year.
The series will be inaugurated at Hyderabad by the Chairperson, NFRA, Shri Nitin Gupta and will involve eminent professionals and experts. The workshop series will bring together auditors, professional bodies, academics, and experts to discuss key practical themes on several professional and qualitative aspects of audit.
NFRA also initiated its first-ever “Audit Firms Survey 2025” alongside the outreach activities aimed at addressing issues related to audit quality, and towards its role of supporting all audit practitioners effectively. The insights gathered will enable NFRA to further tailor its responsibilities and enable constructive dialogue with all audit firms and audit practitioners.
In a moment of national pride, seven remarkable natural heritage sites from across the country have been successfully included in UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, increasing India’s count on the Tentative List from 62 to 69 properties.
With this inclusion, India now has a total of 69 sites under consideration by UNESCO, comprising 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed heritage properties. This accomplishment reaffirms India’s unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting its extraordinary natural and cultural legacy.
The Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE), an organised Group ‘A’ cadre under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), celebrated its 76th Raising Day on September 17, 2025 at Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt. Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh was the Chief Guest at the event.
The IDSE was formally established on September 17, 1949, marking a historic milestone in India’s defence engineering landscape. The officers of this cadre, posted at military stations across the country, are responsible for the construction and maintenance of defence infrastructure ranging from married accommodations, technical and administrative buildings to airfields,
hangars, naval jetties, hospitals and specialised facilities for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and DRDO.
The Defence Secretary’s address was followed by a cultural event and dance performances by artists from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. Senior civilian and military officials from MoD and Army HQs attended the event.
The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, unveiled the logo and key flagship initiatives for the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.
Being hosted for the first time by a Global South nation, the Summit is guided by the principles or Sutras of People, Planet, and Progress.
The discussions are further centered around 7 thematic Chakras - Human Capital, Inclusion, Safe & Trusted AI, Resilience, Science, Democratizing AI Resources, and Social Good, underscoring how AI can be an impactful force for citizens, communities, and the planet alike.
The Department of Fisheries (DoF), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD) has signed a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to strengthen Blue Port infrastructure in India.
The Department of Fisheries organized the first webinar today, under the FAO’s TCP programme as part of a series of three webinars and physical workshops to build capacity and share global best practices. Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, DoF addressed the webinar on the topic of “Foundations of a Blue Port: Generating Value in Fishing Ports”.
About FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP)
The FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) on ‘Strengthening of Blue Ports’ intends to assist the GoI to strengthen the fishing ports' technical capacities to address the main environmental, social and economic challenges that affect the aquatic value chain.
Two pilot fishing ports, specifically Vanakbara (Diu) and Jakhau in Gujarat, will benefit from this TCP that will provide them with specific strategic and operational tools to identify and formulate investment projects, whose implementation would address the main challenges.
Blue Ports framework
Under the "Blue Ports" framework, the DoF is leading the development of Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbours that combine technological innovation with environmental stewardship. Three pilot harbours namely Vanakbara (Diu), Karaikal (Puducherry), and Jakhau (Gujarat) have been approved with a total investment of Rs. 369.8 crores.
World Patient Safety Day calls for global solidarity and concerted action by all countries and international partners to improve patient safety.
The resolution WHA 72.6 ‘Global action on patient safety’ recognizes patient safety as a global health priority and endorses the establishment of World Patient Safety Day to be observed annually on 17 September.
The Day brings together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, health care leaders and policy-makers to show their commitment to patient safety.
International Equal Pay Day, celebrated on 18 September, represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations' commitment to human rights and against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.
In order to ensure that no one is left behind, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address the need to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Furthermore, the SDGs promote decent work and economic growth by seeking full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities,
and equal pay for work of equal value. Mainstreaming of a gender perspective is crucial in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Achieving equal pay is an important milestone for human rights and gender equality. It takes the effort of the entire world community and more work remains to be done.
